Aki’s fingers trembled as she touched the door that Knight had slammed shut just moments ago. The sound of the heavy lock turning echoed in her ears, reverberating in the suffocating silence of the room. She was alone now, trapped in the cold, dimly lit space, the truth crashing over her like a tidal wave. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her knees threatened to buckle beneath her.
Her mind spiraled, replaying the moment over and over—the accident. The screech of tires, the jarring impact, the sickening crunch of metal against metal. She had caused it. She had been careless, distracted, and now someone was lying in a hospital bed because of her. But not just anyone—Kaye. Kaye, Knight’s fiancée. The realization hit Aki like a punch to the gut, and a wave of nausea swept through her. “No…” she whispered, shaking her head violently, as if denying the truth could make it go away. “No, no, no…” But it didn’t go away. The reality only grew sharper, more terrifying. She had hit Kaye, the woman whose life seemed perfect, who was everything Aki wasn’t. Beautiful, poised, and engaged to the most renowned young CEO in the industry—Knight, the man who had just stormed out of the room, leaving her to drown in her guilt. Aki felt the walls closing in, the air thinning. She couldn’t breathe. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor, burying her face in her hands as the sobs came, wracking her body with a force she couldn’t control. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and relentless, as her cries filled the room. “I wasn’t ready for this!” she screamed, her voice hoarse and broken. “I didn’t mean to—oh God, I didn’t mean to!” Her mind raced, trying to piece together how everything had gone so wrong. She had been rushing that day, late for her meeting at the boutique. She hadn’t seen the other car until it was too late. The crash had been brutal, but she had thought—she had hoped—that it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. She remembered stepping out of her car, her hands trembling, her heart pounding in her chest. And then she saw her. Kaye. The woman who had been a regular customer at Magic Fashion Boutique. The woman who had smiled at Aki just days before as she tried on a sleek, elegant dress for an upcoming event. Aki had admired her from afar, envying her perfect life. And now she had shattered it. “I didn’t know… I didn’t know it was her!” Aki cried out, her voice rising in desperation. “I didn’t mean to hurt her, I swear!” Her words fell flat in the empty room, swallowed by the weight of her guilt. She pressed her palms against her temples, trying to block out the images flooding her mind. Kaye, lying in a hospital bed, motionless. The doctors’ grim faces. Knight, his eyes dark with anger and betrayal as he left Aki behind, locking her in this prison of her own making. How could she face him now? How could she ever look him in the eye again? He was the CEO of F. Newspapers and Magazines, a man who commanded respect, who had built an empire at such a young age. And she… she was nothing. Just a boutique owner who had made the worst mistake of her life. Her chest tightened as she thought of the headlines that would follow. The media would devour this. Knight’s fiancée in a car accident, the CEO’s life thrown into chaos. And she was the cause of it all. The guilt gnawed at her insides, eating away at whatever was left of her composure. “I didn’t mean to ruin everything…” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to ruin his life.” But she had. There was no escaping that fact now. She had caused trouble—not just for Kaye, not just for Dylan, but for herself. Her boutique would be dragged through the mud, her reputation destroyed. How could she ever recover from this? How could she live with herself, knowing what she had done? She wiped at her tears, but they kept falling, relentless, as if her body was trying to purge the overwhelming guilt and fear. Her hands shook as she gripped her knees, her whole body shivering with the weight of it all. It was too much. She wasn’t strong enough for this. She wasn’t ready to face the consequences of her actions. Dylan’s words echoed in her mind, sharp and cold: “You’ve destroyed everything. You’re not getting out of this. I’m going to make sure you suffer, Aki. The way you’ve made me suffer. I’m going to destroy everything you care about. Everything. And you’ll know exactly what it feels like to lose everything.” She choked back another sob, curling into herself as the truth settled in her bones. She had destroyed everything. And now, there was no going back. She lifted her tear-streaked face, her vision blurry as she stared at the door that held her captive. She wanted to scream again, to beg for forgiveness, to plead for a way out of this nightmare. But deep down, she knew it was too late. The damage was done. Aki sat on the cold floor, her body trembling as the weight of her situation crushed her. Her thoughts raced, spiraling into deeper and darker fears. What would Knight do to her? What would he do to her boutique? Her business, her dream, everything she had worked for—it was all hanging by a thread now. And that thread was in Knight’s hands. Tears welled up in her eyes again, blurring her vision. She had always dreamed of becoming the best fashion designer in the world. Ever since she was a child, she had worked tirelessly, pouring her heart into every design, every piece of clothing she created. Her boutique was a reflection of that dream, a place where she could finally share her passion with the world. And now, all of that was at risk because of one terrible mistake. Aki hugged her knees to her chest, her thoughts drifting to her family. Her sister, Mara, depended on her. Aki had been the one to help their family through their financial struggles, the one who kept them afloat when times were tough. How could she let them know about this? How could she tell them that she had not only endangered her own future but theirs as well? “I can’t let them find out…” she whispered to herself, her voice breaking. Mara would be devastated. Aki had promised her that everything would be fine, that their struggles were over, and now this. She couldn’t bear the thought of her family finding out about the accident, about the mess she had made. They would be so disappointed. And the media… the media would tear her apart. The story would be everywhere: Fashion Boutique Owner Causes Accident That Hospitalizes CEO’s Fiancée. The tabloids would devour it, and her reputation would be destroyed in an instant. Aki wiped at her tears, but they kept falling. The more she thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed. Knight was in control. He had the power to decide her fate, both personally and professionally. If he wanted to ruin her, he could. And from the way he had looked at her before storming out, she knew he might be planning to do just that. But still… was there any chance, any possibility, that she could make him reconsider? Could she somehow convince him to spare her boutique, to not drag her name through the mud? She wanted to believe there was a way, some way to appeal to his sense of reason, to show him that it had been a mistake, an accident. But deep down, Aki wasn’t sure. Knight’s eyes had been filled with anger and hurt, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that he wanted revenge. A sob escaped her throat, and she buried her face in her hands again. She was scared—terrified of what was coming. She didn’t know how to fight this. She didn’t know how to face the storm that was about to hit her life. “This is it…” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I have to face it…” There was no turning back now. She had no choice but to confront whatever was coming, no matter how terrifying it might be.Katty paced nervously back and forth in the small, cluttered office of the Magic Fashion Boutique. The warm afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the room. The soft ticking of the wall clock seemed louder than usual in the stillness. A neat desk was placed against the far wall, with papers, fabric swatches, and a few scattered sketches spread across its surface. Katty's eyes kept darting toward the phone on the desk, hoping it would finally ring with some sign of life from her boss, Aki.It was unusual, this silence. Aki was always on top of things. If anything, she was the type of person who would call several times just to check in, especially with such an important appointment lined up today. Katty’s stomach churned with anxiety. Kaye, one of their most prominent clients, was supposed to visit today to review the final design for her wedding gown. And Kaye had specifically requested to meet with Aki.But Aki wasn’t here.More alarmingly, Aki wasn’t
Katty stood in Aki’s office, staring at the door Nate had just exited through. She could still feel the tension in the air, thick and stifling, as if something invisible but real had been left behind after the conversation. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. It gnawed at her, tugging at the edges of her mind.Her thoughts wandered back to Aki, her boss and mentor, the talented and graceful woman who had taught her almost everything she knew about the fashion industry. Lately, Aki had seemed distant, like she was hiding behind a polished veneer of calm. Aki had always been private, but now she was unreachable, and too far to reach on. Katty couldn’t help but feel that it had something to do with Larry. That arrogant son of the city mayor had been dating Aki for years, and even though Katty had always found him insufferable, she kept her opinions to herself out of respect for Aki. But the last few months had been different. Larry had been showing up more often, ma
I've already taken care of the accident, Dylan,” Mr. Belgeorence began, his voice smooth yet laced with an undertone of danger. “It was free from the knowledge of the media and the police, and I've silenced the necessary parties.”Dylan, seated at the opposite end, gave a slow nod, his fingers tracing the edge of a whiskey glass without taking a sip. He wasn’t entirely surprised by Belgeorence’s words. The man was known to have a reach far beyond legal confines, though it wasn’t something spoken about openly. It was the unspoken truth that made Belgeorence both powerful and dangerous.“I offered them enough money to shut their mouths up,” Belgeorence continued, pacing slowly across the room. “All witnesses have been handled. I deleted footage from every source. The traffic cams, the nearby buildings—anything that could possibly identify the accident is gone.”He stopped in front of Dylan, leaning down slightly as if to make his point clearer. “It’s as though it never happened.”Dylan
Dylan sat in the grand living room of his mansion, the warmth of the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the hardwood floors. Despite the elegance and comfort of his surroundings, he felt a tightness in his chest, a gnawing sense of unease that refused to leave him. His thoughts were tangled, consumed by the words of his lawyer, Mr. Belgeorence, who had just left the mansion.Dylan could still hear the lawyer’s words ringing in his ears, heavy with legal jargon and the weight of unfortunate reality. It wasn’t that the news itself was unexpected; it was that it came at a time when he was least capable of handling it. His fiancée, Kaye, had been hospitalized for over a days now, recovering from a car accident that had shaken him to his core. The accident had happened so suddenly, so unpredictably, that Dylan hadn’t yet been able to fully grasp its impact. Seeing Kaye lying motionless in the hospital bed, wires and tubes surrounding her, had made him feel utterly powerless. And now
Dylan Forteros adjusted his cufflinks, the smooth fabric of his black tuxedo gleaming faintly under the morning sun as he slid behind the wheel of his black sports car. The sleek, low-slung vehicle growled to life, and he effortlessly guided it out of his lavish driveway. It was early, yet the day was already filled with the energy of the city that never slept. The rhythmic pulse of the streets, the hum of traffic, and the distant clamor of people beginning their routines set the stage for what promised to be a busy day.As he sped down the main boulevard, the city skyline rising ahead of him, Dylan’s mind was already on his company. F. Newspapers and Magazines was one of the largest media empires in the country, and he was its driving force. His reputation as a sharp, strategic thinker had earned him respect in an industry that had no patience for hesitation or failure. Today was particularly important, and though his outward appearance was as calm and collected as ever, his thoughts
Dylan Forteros stood in his expansive office on the top floor of F Newspapers and Magazines, gazing out over the sprawling cityscape. The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the skyline, illuminating the glass towers that mirrored the ambition he felt coursing through his veins. At twenty-five, Dylan had carved out a formidable reputation in the publishing world, rising from a junior reporter to the CEO of one of the most influential media companies in the industry. His striking looks—dark hair perfectly styled, piercing blue eyes, and an athletic build—often drew attention, but it was his dedication, integrity, and strategic acumen that truly defined him.He turned away from the window, taking a deep breath as he prepared for the meeting ahead. The company was at a crossroads, navigating a rapidly changing landscape as digital media began to eclipse traditional print. Dylan had always embraced innovation, and today he was set to unveil a bold new initiative aimed at expanding
Aki Salamanca stood in the small living room of her apartment, her heart racing as she faced Larry. The late afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the mess of scattered books and unwashed dishes. She couldn’t believe they had come to this point, but the betrayal was too fresh, too raw.“Five years, Larry! Five years, and this is how you repay me?” Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. “I sacrificed everything for you—my time, my money. I thought we were building something together.”Larry leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression a mix of irritation and indifference. “Aki, you’re making this sound dramatic. I’m just having fun. I’m still a teenager.”“Fun?” Aki echoed, disbelief flooding her tone. “Is that what you call it? Cheating on me with someone else? What kind of fun is that? Did it ever occur to you that your actions have consequences?”He shrugged, a dismissive gesture that felt like a slap to her face. “You’r
Aki’s eyes fluttered open, her mind heavy and foggy as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. The room was dim, lit only by a small window high on the wall, its panes crisscrossed with iron grills. She blinked a few times, trying to remember how she got here, but her thoughts slipped away like water through her fingers.She sat up slowly, her gaze drifting across the room, and despite the eerie silence that pressed in on her, she found herself mesmerized by the sheer elegance of the space. The walls were draped in rich, velvety fabrics—deep reds and purples that shimmered faintly in the soft light. Golden threads were intricately woven into the patterns, forming elegant shapes that wound their way up toward the ceiling, which was vaulted and adorned with delicate carvings.Aki’s breath caught in her throat. The design was unlike anything she had ever seen before, a perfect blend of opulence and artistry. Even the furniture, though sparse, was made from the finest materials—d